Many of the Mats guitars and basses came with brass nuts (often with corresponding brass bridges). I have always liked them for their beauty (when clean) and durability, and they lend a brightness to what might otherwise be a flatter output, with plastic for example.

But when I got my Vantage VP710 it had a bone nut, along with an MMK53/61 combo. And the sound is quite different.Our Westbone has been known to replace the brass nut on certain models claiming the sound is improved. I think he may be right.

In a talk with Tom Presley I asked him once about the choice of brass, was it a considered design decision, and he replied that it was more economically based. Brass was inexpensive and easy to work with. So much for a higher plan!

As a final observation, I think the brass may go a long way to help brighten up the tone of the MMK45's which although powerful, can tend to be a bit a muddy at times.

Surely, once you fret a string, or a series of strings, the perceived influence of the brass nut goes away.

I have never noticed a marked difference in tone between say an open D string, and when it has been fretted one fret up, at an F.

Saddles though is another thing - but I don't have anything that I could really use to compare, say, a difference of brass saddle and a steel saddle as the only parameter that has changed. (Maybe I should buy a few more guitars to do a proper comparison...)

I know that Damian is convinced by the differences that the nut makes. Perhaps I am just tonally unrefined!

That's true for the string(s) being fretted, however, the open strings are still vibrating at the the nut. And there's likely more open string output in the course of playing, particularly when playing rhythm, and particularly on the bass strings.

I remember TP saying that, too! I've put brass nuts on most of my projects simply because I feel that they brighten up the sound a little and because brass is slippery - theoretically no string binding in the slots. At some stage, however, I plan to swap a couple out for bone and/or Tusq.

_________________FWIW, an after market esoteric nut is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, and a great way to convert your money into someone else’s.

I'm not convinced that the material of the nut makes much difference to the sound of a plugged-in guitar, but brass is certainly a much more robust material. I've had to repair one or two bone/plastic nuts in the past, due to a piece broken off or a string slot too deep.What I can't understand is why the zero fret isn't used more. Surely this is the easiest way to get the most precise intonation and lowest action? Is there something I'm missing?

The Chad wrote:If want a brighter tone, use a different pick. They make a world of difference.

Absolutely - Tortex, nylon, celluloid, plastic; they all sound different and pick attack is just as important! Since I trimmed my right hand fingernails, my fingerpicking has also become very subdued!!

_________________FWIW, an after market esoteric nut is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, and a great way to convert your money into someone else’s.